"Shock and shame" - this is how a resident of Umm al-Fahm described the situation yesterday, the morning after the murderous attack carried out by two residents of the city.
These are cousins, a descendant of the Agbaria family, whose sons and daughters live in almost all the communities of Wadi Ara.
All the residents of the city have difficulty digesting the horrific act of the two terrorists, but the biggest difficulty lies in their organizational affiliation with the murderous terrorist organization ISIS.
And there is also the shock and surprise at the fact that the brother of one of the perpetrators is a policeman, whom many of his townspeople looked at with a crooked eye at his very service to the police.
It is not easy to find people here who will agree to be interviewed on their behalf.
Many of the city's residents feel uncomfortable talking to a journalist, preferring not to speak out or be exposed.
"All the residents of the city are ashamed of the act," says one of them, adding: "The attacker could have harmed the Arabs, and he hit a Druze policeman and killed him. It is very unfortunate."
Uncharacteristic message
The mayor of Umm al-Fahm, Dr. Samir Mahamid, is an educator. He previously served as a school principal. After learning that the perpetrators were residents of his city, he issued a very harsh statement of condemnation, and some would say, uncharacteristic. "Fahm expresses deep shock, condemns the horrific act and condemns any act of violence," the statement said, "The municipality shares the grief of the families of those killed in Hadera and wishes a speedy recovery to the wounded."
Umm al-Fahm, it is forbidden to go over the agenda, Photo: Gideon Markowitz
"Dr. Mahamid was not content with just the announcement, but also addressed the attack himself." We must not move on to the agenda about what happened, "he said," and we call on the police to do their part.
"ISIS is coming out against Muslims, Christians and Jews, so it must be cut off from this world."
The funeral is in doubt
Umm al-Fahm knows how to tell about several residents of the city who have joined ISIS.
Those joining traveled to Syria via Turkey, some returned, arrested and tried, and some are still there, and may very well have fallen in the war in Syria.
Some members of the Agbaria family call for organizing and visiting the city of Hadera - as a sign of solidarity with its residents, and as a message of condemnation of the two perpetrators belonging to the family - but are afraid to do so, mainly so as not to provoke Jewish calls for revenge.
Umm al-Fahm ,, suffering from anarchy of weapons, Photo: Michel Dot Com
In contrast to the previous time, and the attack carried out by two residents of the city a few years ago on the al-Aqsa Mosque - in which Druze policemen Kamil Shenan and Eyal Sa'awi were killed - this time it is doubtful whether a funeral will be held for the two terrorists.
Even if their bodies are handed over to families.
This is for fear of arresting anyone who will attend the funeral.
This is reflected in the fact that the family did not set up a mourning tent.
"The nuclear family has gathered within itself, it is in utter shock," the city resident said.
Many in Umm al-Fahm, which has known dozens of people killed in the past decade as part of bloody conflicts, hope the attack will shed light on a painful issue: the unbearable ease of obtaining weapons.
"We have been suffering for years, from a complete anarchy of weapons, sponsorship fees and delinquency," said another resident of the city.
The danger is for Arabs and Jews alike. "
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